The energy services and distribution network sector represents a major challenge today, as populations become increasingly dependent on energy.
The energy services and distribution network sector represents a major challenge today, as populations become increasingly dependent on energy.
Market players therefore need to secure their networks with reliable, high-performance solutions, such as industrial automation.
At the same time, they need to manage a large mass of information and data within their installations. This requires complex control protocols and applications.
That’s why this sector is increasingly using energy distribution management software solutions to monitor and optimize supply networks, and ensure that they are running smoothly at all times, even without human intervention.
Here, we explain why automation is now favored in this sector, detailing the 3 main benefits of industrial automation software for utilities and distribution networks.
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Improving operational efficiency
Operational efficiency is achieved by implementing the right tools to keep your network running smoothly. And among these tools, industrial automation has today become indispensable, thanks to the many advantages it offers.
It reduces the number of manual, repetitive tasks usually performed by humans. As a result, potential errors are avoided, and teams can concentrate on more rewarding and potentially critical tasks. As a result, their productivity is optimized: production malfunctions are reduced, and teams gain time to manage the rest of their activity.
For example, automation software can quickly and accurately identify a fault and, above all, locate it so that network restoration operations can be launched. This ensures that the network remains functional and operational at all times, which is a major challenge for energy distributors.
Industrial automation software therefore contributes to improving the operational efficiency of a distribution network, thanks to the reliability it guarantees.
Reducing costs and optimizing resource management
The more reliable and robust a network is, the fewer outages and malfunctions it will generate, and therefore the lower its costs. This is why the use of industrial automation software enables energy distributors to optimize their costs. Real-time control of the distribution network enables the implementation of predictive maintenance, which can anticipate and avoid problems leading to production stoppages.
Another advantage of industrial automation software is the optimization of energy and resource consumption. Indeed, the use of an automatic system rationalizes, prevents and smoothes consumption, making it more controllable and reduced to what is strictly necessary.
Last but not least, this software also represents cost savings in terms of reduced manpower and administrative management, which can be handled automatically.
Enhanced network security
Security is an essential criterion in energy distribution: the network must be able to operate reliably, and applications must be protected to ensure redundancy. As more and more information is exchanged and more and more communications take place on the network, infrastructures need appropriate security technologies to avoid the risks of piracy to which the sensitive energy sector is exposed.
In this context, industrial automation software is effective because it is capable of integrating the latest developments in IT security, such as the IEC 62443 standard, which is now essential for the cybersecurity of industrial installations and industrial IT systems.
Industrial automation software also uses secure, robust communication protocols that protect the confidentiality of data exchanged between the various equipment and systems on the network.
In this way, they reinforce network reliability, prevent cyber-attacks and intrusions, and guarantee data integrity.
For the utilities sector, industrial automation software is particularly relevant, primarily for reasons of network efficiency, stability and security. For the energy sector, and RTU manufacturers in particular, this type of tool offers programming capabilities that guarantee system connectivity and reliability.
To find out more about industrial automation software and what it can do for your business, download our free industrial automation white paper.
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